GPL 2024/25: Buoyant Heart of Lions host dispirited Hearts of Oak

Confidence is low among Hearts faithful and for good reason. On the opening weekend of the season, Hearts looked completely disfigured and easy to play against. The Phobians struggled with cohesiveness and were reduced to predictable, harmless passing. There were no coordinated movements off the ball. There was no synchronized pressing either.

Ouattara’s rest defense was also a mess. That is why, even when Holy Stars regained possession deep in their half, they could still create a chance almost every time. And it was not because they could switch play with lightning speed or creative passing. Everything they did was rather basic, yet, Hearts had no answers.

The fans, who numbered less than a thousand at the Accra Sports Stadium, saw it all unfold. It was the reason they booed Ouattara and his team at full-time. After seeing the same, badly acted-out play right before their eyes for seven months, can you blame them?

Familiar scenes: Ouattara was forced to explain himself to the fans after a similarly poor outing against Dreams FC last season

On Friday morning, Hearts of Oak released a statement asking supporters to back the coach. It was the second statement requested in 48 hours. If you include last week Friday’s statement before the Holy Stars match, that would be the third “please support this incredibly mediocre team” in a week. If ever there was a confidence crisis, this would be it.

Lack of trust or not, the club is doing everything possible to back the manager. But supporters are not simply going to trust a manager simply because you asked them. Especially when, in Ouattara’s case, he lost more matches (8) than he has won (7) in his seven months in charge.

Something has to give if Hearts are to get results against a typically stubborn Heart of Lions side.
Sunday was proof that the idea to play Hamza Issa and Afriyie Boateng outside the penalty box was a bad idea. The pair contributed 24 goals in total last season and not a single one was scored from outside the box. More to the point, they are center forwards who have no skillsets that make them useful for any other job. Play them where they thrive, Mr. Ouattara.

Happier times: Hamza Issa celebrates one of his 13 goals for Hearts last season

Whatever the midfield experiment with Salim Adams was, it should not be repeated. He is too erratic with his passing to be starting matches for Hearts of Oak. While Theophilus Collinson’s introduction brought stability to the midfield, today’s assignment against the Lions may require a bit more than just a good distributor. Lions will play without fear.

In Bashir Hayford, Lions have a manager who is more experienced in the league and has more titles to his name than the Hearts of Oak coach. It is not every day that an opposing manager has a better CV than a Hearts coach but this is Bashir Hayford.

Beyond silverware, Bashir has a habit of winning seminal games against Ghana’s big team teams, especially Asante Kotoko as he demonstrated 20 years ago in the infamous “Yennbo bio” saga, and last season as well. Whatever the metrics are, Bashir checks the box. Talent identification and development, sustainably good football, silverware, and a strong personality. That is Bashir Hayford.

One of the weapons he has to pick from is the mercurial Mustapha Yakubu. Last Sunday, he reminded everyone of his top-class quality with free kicks, rifling one into the met against Aduana Stars in Dormaa. He is a player Hearts know too well. He scored a similar goal against the Phobians from an even longer distance at the Baba Yara Stadium last season. Unlike many gifted players, Yakubu lives for the big occasions and is hardly overawed by the sense of occasion.

Lions played out a 1-1 draw with former champions Aduana Stars in Dormaa last Sunday

Sunday’s encounter may be too soon for new signings Evans Paaku (striker) and Emmanuel Afful (midfielder). However, they are exactly the kind of players who have characterized Lions history in the league; unknown entities taking the league by storm on their debut and taking big teams apart. Remember Emmanuel Osei Banahene? Dominic Adiyiah? John Boye? Abraham Annan? Obed Ansah? Need I go on? It’s a trick Lions have specialized in and another one on Sunday will not surprise anyone.

They also have Kwadwo Obeng Junior and Abednego Tetteh. Two strikers who were part of Hearts Oak’s cup successes under Samuel Boadu between 2021 and 2022. A league title and two FA cups.

That is more than any member of the current Hearts team has to their name. (Enoch Asubonteng, who was an unused substitute for Hearts last Sunday, joined from West Africa Football Academy a season after their title-winning season. So he has one FA Cup to his name).

So while both Hearts and Lions will field new predominantly players today, Lions have experienced characters with know-how.

Prediction: Heart of Lions 1-0 Hearts of Oak